WHILE READING
This is fun. Okay, okay! It's terrible, I mean, can't she use her brain? But OMG this is fun. Really amusing. At least right now. I mean of course she didn't tell him, duh. haha! (unrelated: I want out on a skate-rink. It's August!)

REVIEW:
It's all kinds of wonderful. But I'm torn over the actual rating. ARGH! Well, time and perspective and all that...
It's serious and amusing. And surprisingly (or not?) true. I liked how Chelsea changed throughout the book.
The story is so wholesome! HEA = 3 - unexpectedly

FINAL VERDICT: READ AND RECOMMEND ( )

Chelsea has managed to make friends with the most popular girl in town Kristen but unfortunately the group that this girl hangs out with have very questionable morals. It all comes to a crescendo when she accidentally springs one of the boys in her class making out with another boy at a party. To get herself in further with the "in" crowd, she blabs about it to the popular girl's friends. Two jocks from this group ( one being Kristen's boyfriend) decide to bash the gay boy.
Horrified by what they have done, Chelsea goes straight to the police to report them and then is socially ostracized ( including destroying her locker and bullying) from the popular group for putting them in jail. Inspired by a story in National Geo magazine about a buddhist monk's vow of silence, she decides to stop talking; figuring that her loud mouth has only caused all her problems in the first place.
Her parents and some teachers are not supportive, but through this silence, Chelsea befriends someone she may never have if she had stayed with the popular group, Asha and comes to meet a whole group of different,individual people.
Was pleasantly surprised by this book as it was not about selective mutism like I thought but rather something more calculated. I think the characters are very believeable - they all make mistakes - and the portrayal of Chelsea missing Kristen's friendship when they weren't putting others down rings very true. Kids who love school and romance will also like it. Older readers due to the sex and insults that some of the characters bandy around ( all in context of the story) ( )

To be honest, the very first thing I noticed about Speechless was the gorgeous cover. I realize you might find that a little odd. There are no faces, no swirls, no fancy typeface to draw in the reader. However it is exactly the lack of all those accoutrements that caught my eye. Simplistic. Beautiful. A blank slate. Then, the synopsis. Thank you whoever wrote this! Thank you so very much for not giving away the entire plot in a few paragraphs. I promise you, vague or not, this synopsis is perfection. Speechless holds much more than you are expecting.

Chelsea Knot is definitely not a perfect person. What she is, is realistic. A girl who is flawed, selfish, and raw. Harrington starts out the book by showing us a Chelsea that is pretty easy to dislike. One who spreads rumors, and hurts people. However as she learns the error of her ways, she grows by leaps and bounds. The Chelsea at the end of Speechless is an entirely different person, and just being there for her journey will make you fall in love. In fact, the entire cast of characters that support Chelsea in her time of need are easy to love. I could go on and on about Asha, Sam, Dex and Lou, but I won't. I'll let you meet them for yourself.

What I loved most about this book is that Chelsea's story is full of hope. It is full of growth, and understanding. Speechless touches on tough topics, and it does it well. Instead of relying on angst to draw the reader in, we get to dive deep in Chelsea's head and learn right along with her. There is a message here, that bridges that gap between all ages that might pick up this book. I think Harrington says it best with: "Hate is... it's too easy," he says. "Love. Love takes courage."

Despite it taking some time for me to feel the writing style of the book, I soon became immersed. In fact, a sigh escaped my lips when I reached the last page. A sigh of contentment at how perfectly this book is paced, and executed. Even the romance in this book is spot on, and builds slowly. Gorgeous. Speechless has just further cemented my opinion that Hannah Harrington is a master of her craft. ( )

Comparisons to Laurie Halse Anderson's "Speak" are inevitable, and while there are obvious similarities (i.e. main character who doesn't speak due to trauma, a caustic yet funny first-person narrative) I think this one more than stands on its own.

Chelsea's dilemma is interesting, feeling guilt both for causing a classmate to be beaten up but also feeling guilt for reporting the tormenters to the authorities. She really grows as a character in an interesting way, with the support of interesting and layered supporting characters. ( )

So I have mentioned before that I am not usually a big fan of the Young Adult Contemporary Genre but I requested this novel because I found the idea of a high school girl choosing to take a vow of silence, after accidentally revealing one secret too many, intriguing.

I am glad I decided to take the plunge. This book was current and sensitive while leaving you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

This book deals indirectly with some heavy topics: homophobia, bullying, but does so in a way that is sensitive and delicate rather than in your face. Part of this because we see these issues the eyes of a teenage girl.

Chelsea is shocked at events that happen as a result of her being unable to keep her mouth shut. This event is enough to make her take a vow of silence so that maybe she will learn to watch what she says.

I liked that the author took Chelsea on a journey of self discovery that felt real and throughout the book you could really see her grow as a person as she learnt more about herself as a person, the other people around her and to start to see how what she says and does contributes to the bigger picture.

I also like that Chelsea is a strong female character, who at first seems quite shallow and weak. However, despite being on the receiving end of verbal abuse and some physical and mental attacks, she is able to stay strong, stick to her guns and stand up for what she believes in. Her strength is shown in how events affect her and how she responds.

The story flows from beginning to end, is believable and best of all leaves you with the warm glow of a satisfying conclusion.

A story with appeal for everyone, not just teenagers.
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